A PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA – A History LOVER’S DREAM COME TRUE

From its antique and specialty stores to its shade-drenched streets, Olde Towne Portsmouth is much more than one of the area’s most pleasant places to take a stroll. It’s a history lover’s dream come true. In a single square mile, the Olde Towne Historic District chronicles 300 years of history in one of the largest collections of antique homes south of Alexandria.

Legend has it that Benedict Arnold was held captive in one of the homes. Another was used by Union Forces to issue passes during the Civil War, while yet another concealed medicine for Confederate soldiers. You can explore this national treasure through a self-guided walking tour (available at the Visitor Information Center) or during seasonal lantern tours or candlelight home tours during special occasions.

More than 250 years of American history is unveiled during the Walking Tour – from the home that the Union Army’s Provost Marshal used during the Civil War (412 London St.) to the house where President Andrew Jackson visited (The Watts House pictured above, corner of North and Dinwiddie streets). As identified in the sites you will visit, many influential leaders have shaped the course of human events from our city. Whether you wander around on your own or follow the tour sequentially, you’ll see Portsmouth as a city that has preserved its character through more than two centuries of change.

If you’re interested in local or naval history, or memorabilia from a centuries-old Southern port, you’ll find the Naval Shipyard Museum a delight. Established in 1949 within the nation’s oldest shipyard, the Norfolk Naval Shipyard Museum was later moved to the Portsmouth waterfront at High Street Landing on the Elizabeth River.

Built in 1915 and began service as part of the U.S. Lighthouse Service in 1916. In 1964, the lightship was retired to Portsmouth, VA. In 1989, the Lightship Portsmouth was designated a National Historic Landmark. Now a museum, the ship’s quarters are fitted out realistically and filled with fascinating artifacts, uniforms, photographs, models, and more.

The Hill House was built as a private residence in 1820. It was home to three generations of Hills and in the 1960’s was left to the PHA by its last occupant, Miss Evelyn Hill. Miss Hill left the contents of the home, which were acquired by all three generations to the PHA as well.

This rare surviving example of Eastern European Jewish Orthodoxy is located at the main entrance to the City of Portsmouth. It is a place where visitors can celebrate and learn about Jewish history, faith, and culture. The Museum houses artifacts and exhibits that reflect the history of the Hampton Roads Jewish community. On display is an eighteenth-century Torah Scroll rescued from a synagogue in Trebíc, Czechoslovakia. That synagogue was a victim of the Holocaust.

Fresnel Lens

Near the Portsmouth Seawall, south of High Street Landing • 757-393-5111

Having begun service in 1896 as part of the Hog Island Light off the Great Machipongo Inlet on the Eastern Shore, today this first order Fresnel lens is valued between $750,000 and $1 million. It stands about 10 feet high, weighs 2,500 pounds and is among the largest and brightest of its kind, with more than 250 prisms of optical glass. Housed in a 16-foot-wide pavilion, this lens is the only one displayed outside of a museum setting.

This new museum-on-the-tracks features a five-car train, with a 1910-era steam locomotive, two walk-through gallery mail cars, a dining car, antique Norfolk-Southern caboose, and a depot-style platform.

A troupe of knowledgeable and entertaining actors can be found strolling the streets of Olde Towne entertaining guests of giving private tours of historic Olde Towne Portsmouth.  You can book a private tour with them or take advantage of one of their scheduled tours.